Little Richard

Hiroyuki Ito for The New York Times

Little Richard (Richard Penniman), for those who don't remember, helped invent rock-and-roll. He made a strain of American extremism, all Saturday-night hysteria, a regular part of international mass culture.

As much as he has tried to renounce the spirit of abandon he had advocated with his first important recordings, exchanging it for the spirit of religion, Mr. Penniman always seems to return to the carnivalesque secular style that made him famous. The great reverberations of "Tutti Frutti," "Good Golly Miss Molly" and "Slippin' and Slidin' " that forever changed the idea of expressionism have him but good.

In the late 1940's and early 50's, when Mr. Penniman started piecing together his style, he had a lot of music to choose from. He listened to just about everything, from Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington and Count Basie to country music and blues and rhythm-and-blues singers like Joe Turner and Louis Jordan. He'd regularly hear jazz's great personalities: Louis Armstrong and Cab Calloway. Mr. Penniman grew up in Macon, Ga., 1 of 12 children. Though his father reportedly sold bootleg liquor, the influence of gospel music was strongly felt in the family. Mr. Penniman not only copied Sister Rosetta Tharpe's yowl, he turned it into his trademark as well. He worked with a carnival, which he once said was "an advanced class in entertainment," but regarded jazz and the blues as a school in which he "was in class constantly." — Peter Watrous

Highlights from the Archives

''I am the beautiful Little Richard,'' said Richard Penniman, with the utmost assuredness, opening his eyes wide and grinning. ''I know you've seen me on television, but now I'm in person so you know I ain't lying.''

''I am the beautiful Little Richard,'' said Richard Penniman, with the utmost assuredness, opening his eyes wide and grinning. ''I know you've seen me on television, but now I'm in person so you know I ain't lying.''

At B. B. King’s Blues Club on Monday, Little Richard, now 74, appeared in a striped yellow suit, singing a couple of songs with mule-kick power, but he also sported a helper and two canes to support him.

At B. B. King’s Blues Club on Monday, Little Richard, now 74, appeared in a striped yellow suit, singing a couple of songs with mule-kick power, but he also sported a helper and two canes to support him.

''I am the beautiful Little Richard,'' said Richard Penniman, with the utmost assuredness, opening his eyes wide and grinning. ''I know you've seen me on television, but now I'm in person so you know I ain't lying.''

At B. B. King’s Blues Club on Monday, Little Richard, now 74, appeared in a striped yellow suit, singing a couple of songs with mule-kick power, but he also sported a helper and two canes to support him.

At B. B. King’s Blues Club on Monday, Little Richard, now 74, appeared in a striped yellow suit, singing a couple of songs with mule-kick power, but he also sported a helper and two canes to support him.

''I am the beautiful Little Richard,'' said Richard Penniman, with the utmost assuredness, opening his eyes wide and grinning. ''I know you've seen me on television, but now I'm in person so you know I ain't lying.''

''I am the beautiful Little Richard,'' said Richard Penniman, with the utmost assuredness, opening his eyes wide and grinning. ''I know you've seen me on television, but now I'm in person so you know I ain't lying.''

''I am the beautiful Little Richard,'' said Richard Penniman, with the utmost assuredness, opening his eyes wide and grinning. ''I know you've seen me on television, but now I'm in person so you know I ain't lying.''

''I am the beautiful Little Richard,'' said Richard Penniman, with the utmost assuredness, opening his eyes wide and grinning. ''I know you've seen me on television, but now I'm in person so you know I ain't lying.''

''I am the beautiful Little Richard,'' said Richard Penniman, with the utmost assuredness, opening his eyes wide and grinning. ''I know you've seen me on television, but now I'm in person so you know I ain't lying.''

At B. B. King’s Blues Club on Monday, Little Richard, now 74, appeared in a striped yellow suit, singing a couple of songs with mule-kick power, but he also sported a helper and two canes to support him.

''I am the beautiful Little Richard,'' said Richard Penniman, with the utmost assuredness, opening his eyes wide and grinning. ''I know you've seen me on television, but now I'm in person so you know I ain't lying.''

"Yeah! Ow-ow-ow-ow! Whoo!" Little Richard's first words to his audience on Tuesday night were barely words at all. Opening his first New York club engagement in 25 years, they were the sound of the wild-eyed, edge-of-anarchy exuberance that Richard Penniman brought to rock-and-roll in 1955, and that he can still summon at the age of 60.

''I am the beautiful Little Richard,'' said Richard Penniman, with the utmost assuredness, opening his eyes wide and grinning. ''I know you've seen me on television, but now I'm in person so you know I ain't lying.''

''I am the beautiful Little Richard,'' said Richard Penniman, with the utmost assuredness, opening his eyes wide and grinning. ''I know you've seen me on television, but now I'm in person so you know I ain't lying.''

"Yeah! Ow-ow-ow-ow! Whoo!" Little Richard's first words to his audience on Tuesday night were barely words at all. Opening his first New York club engagement in 25 years, they were the sound of the wild-eyed, edge-of-anarchy exuberance that Richard Penniman brought to rock-and-roll in 1955, and that he can still summon at the age of 60.

"Yeah! Ow-ow-ow-ow! Whoo!" Little Richard's first words to his audience on Tuesday night were barely words at all. Opening his first New York club engagement in 25 years, they were the sound of the wild-eyed, edge-of-anarchy exuberance that Richard Penniman brought to rock-and-roll in 1955, and that he can still summon at the age of 60.

''I am the beautiful Little Richard,'' said Richard Penniman, with the utmost assuredness, opening his eyes wide and grinning. ''I know you've seen me on television, but now I'm in person so you know I ain't lying.''

''I am the beautiful Little Richard,'' said Richard Penniman, with the utmost assuredness, opening his eyes wide and grinning. ''I know you've seen me on television, but now I'm in person so you know I ain't lying.''

"Yeah! Ow-ow-ow-ow! Whoo!" Little Richard's first words to his audience on Tuesday night were barely words at all. Opening his first New York club engagement in 25 years, they were the sound of the wild-eyed, edge-of-anarchy exuberance that Richard Penniman brought to rock-and-roll in 1955, and that he can still summon at the age of 60.

"Yeah! Ow-ow-ow-ow! Whoo!" Little Richard's first words to his audience on Tuesday night were barely words at all. Opening his first New York club engagement in 25 years, they were the sound of the wild-eyed, edge-of-anarchy exuberance that Richard Penniman brought to rock-and-roll in 1955, and that he can still summon at the age of 60.

"Yeah! Ow-ow-ow-ow! Whoo!" Little Richard's first words to his audience on Tuesday night were barely words at all. Opening his first New York club engagement in 25 years, they were the sound of the wild-eyed, edge-of-anarchy exuberance that Richard Penniman brought to rock-and-roll in 1955, and that he can still summon at the age of 60.

"Yeah! Ow-ow-ow-ow! Whoo!" Little Richard's first words to his audience on Tuesday night were barely words at all. Opening his first New York club engagement in 25 years, they were the sound of the wild-eyed, edge-of-anarchy exuberance that Richard Penniman brought to rock-and-roll in 1955, and that he can still summon at the age of 60.

"Yeah! Ow-ow-ow-ow! Whoo!" Little Richard's first words to his audience on Tuesday night were barely words at all. Opening his first New York club engagement in 25 years, they were the sound of the wild-eyed, edge-of-anarchy exuberance that Richard Penniman brought to rock-and-roll in 1955, and that he can still summon at the age of 60.

"Yeah! Ow-ow-ow-ow! Whoo!" Little Richard's first words to his audience on Tuesday night were barely words at all. Opening his first New York club engagement in 25 years, they were the sound of the wild-eyed, edge-of-anarchy exuberance that Richard Penniman brought to rock-and-roll in 1955, and that he can still summon at the age of 60.

Those who invent genres both define them and are stuck with them. Little Richard, hair like an apartment building, sexually ambiguous, wildly extroverted and very funny, is coming to New York for three nights at Tramps (45 West 21st Street, Chelsea), starting this evening. Little Richard (Richard Penniman), for those who don't remember, helped invent rock-and-roll. He made a strain of American extremism, all Saturday-night hysteria, a regular part of international mass culture. As much as he has tried to renounce the spirit of abandon he had advocated with his first important recordings, exchanging it for the spirit of religion, Mr. Penniman, two years short of 60, always seems to return to the carnivalesque secular style that made him famous. The great reverberations of "Tutti Frutti," "Good Golly Miss Molly" and "Slippin' and Slidin' " that forever changed the idea of expressionism have him but good.

Those who invent genres both define them and are stuck with them. Little Richard, hair like an apartment building, sexually ambiguous, wildly extroverted and very funny, is coming to New York for three nights at Tramps (45 West 21st Street, Chelsea), starting this evening. Little Richard (Richard Penniman), for those who don't remember, helped invent rock-and-roll. He made a strain of American extremism, all Saturday-night hysteria, a regular part of international mass culture. As much as he has tried to renounce the spirit of abandon he had advocated with his first important recordings, exchanging it for the spirit of religion, Mr. Penniman, two years short of 60, always seems to return to the carnivalesque secular style that made him famous. The great reverberations of "Tutti Frutti," "Good Golly Miss Molly" and "Slippin' and Slidin' " that forever changed the idea of expressionism have him but good.

Those who invent genres both define them and are stuck with them. Little Richard, hair like an apartment building, sexually ambiguous, wildly extroverted and very funny, is coming to New York for three nights at Tramps (45 West 21st Street, Chelsea), starting this evening. Little Richard (Richard Penniman), for those who don't remember, helped invent rock-and-roll. He made a strain of American extremism, all Saturday-night hysteria, a regular part of international mass culture. As much as he has tried to renounce the spirit of abandon he had advocated with his first important recordings, exchanging it for the spirit of religion, Mr. Penniman, two years short of 60, always seems to return to the carnivalesque secular style that made him famous. The great reverberations of "Tutti Frutti," "Good Golly Miss Molly" and "Slippin' and Slidin' " that forever changed the idea of expressionism have him but good.

Those who invent genres both define them and are stuck with them. Little Richard, hair like an apartment building, sexually ambiguous, wildly extroverted and very funny, is coming to New York for three nights at Tramps (45 West 21st Street, Chelsea), starting this evening. Little Richard (Richard Penniman), for those who don't remember, helped invent rock-and-roll. He made a strain of American extremism, all Saturday-night hysteria, a regular part of international mass culture. As much as he has tried to renounce the spirit of abandon he had advocated with his first important recordings, exchanging it for the spirit of religion, Mr. Penniman, two years short of 60, always seems to return to the carnivalesque secular style that made him famous. The great reverberations of "Tutti Frutti," "Good Golly Miss Molly" and "Slippin' and Slidin' " that forever changed the idea of expressionism have him but good.

Those who invent genres both define them and are stuck with them. Little Richard, hair like an apartment building, sexually ambiguous, wildly extroverted and very funny, is coming to New York for three nights at Tramps (45 West 21st Street, Chelsea), starting this evening. Little Richard (Richard Penniman), for those who don't remember, helped invent rock-and-roll. He made a strain of American extremism, all Saturday-night hysteria, a regular part of international mass culture. As much as he has tried to renounce the spirit of abandon he had advocated with his first important recordings, exchanging it for the spirit of religion, Mr. Penniman, two years short of 60, always seems to return to the carnivalesque secular style that made him famous. The great reverberations of "Tutti Frutti," "Good Golly Miss Molly" and "Slippin' and Slidin' " that forever changed the idea of expressionism have him but good.

"Yeah! Ow-ow-ow-ow! Whoo!" Little Richard's first words to his audience on Tuesday night were barely words at all. Opening his first New York club engagement in 25 years, they were the sound of the wild-eyed, edge-of-anarchy exuberance that Richard Penniman brought to rock-and-roll in 1955, and that he can still summon at the age of 60.

"Yeah! Ow-ow-ow-ow! Whoo!" Little Richard's first words to his audience on Tuesday night were barely words at all. Opening his first New York club engagement in 25 years, they were the sound of the wild-eyed, edge-of-anarchy exuberance that Richard Penniman brought to rock-and-roll in 1955, and that he can still summon at the age of 60.

Those who invent genres both define them and are stuck with them. Little Richard, hair like an apartment building, sexually ambiguous, wildly extroverted and very funny, is coming to New York for three nights at Tramps (45 West 21st Street, Chelsea), starting this evening. Little Richard (Richard Penniman), for those who don't remember, helped invent rock-and-roll. He made a strain of American extremism, all Saturday-night hysteria, a regular part of international mass culture. As much as he has tried to renounce the spirit of abandon he had advocated with his first important recordings, exchanging it for the spirit of religion, Mr. Penniman, two years short of 60, always seems to return to the carnivalesque secular style that made him famous. The great reverberations of "Tutti Frutti," "Good Golly Miss Molly" and "Slippin' and Slidin' " that forever changed the idea of expressionism have him but good.

Those who invent genres both define them and are stuck with them. Little Richard, hair like an apartment building, sexually ambiguous, wildly extroverted and very funny, is coming to New York for three nights at Tramps (45 West 21st Street, Chelsea), starting this evening. Little Richard (Richard Penniman), for those who don't remember, helped invent rock-and-roll. He made a strain of American extremism, all Saturday-night hysteria, a regular part of international mass culture. As much as he has tried to renounce the spirit of abandon he had advocated with his first important recordings, exchanging it for the spirit of religion, Mr. Penniman, two years short of 60, always seems to return to the carnivalesque secular style that made him famous. The great reverberations of "Tutti Frutti," "Good Golly Miss Molly" and "Slippin' and Slidin' " that forever changed the idea of expressionism have him but good.

"Yeah! Ow-ow-ow-ow! Whoo!" Little Richard's first words to his audience on Tuesday night were barely words at all. Opening his first New York club engagement in 25 years, they were the sound of the wild-eyed, edge-of-anarchy exuberance that Richard Penniman brought to rock-and-roll in 1955, and that he can still summon at the age of 60.

Those who invent genres both define them and are stuck with them. Little Richard, hair like an apartment building, sexually ambiguous, wildly extroverted and very funny, is coming to New York for three nights at Tramps (45 West 21st Street, Chelsea), starting this evening. Little Richard (Richard Penniman), for those who don't remember, helped invent rock-and-roll. He made a strain of American extremism, all Saturday-night hysteria, a regular part of international mass culture. As much as he has tried to renounce the spirit of abandon he had advocated with his first important recordings, exchanging it for the spirit of religion, Mr. Penniman, two years short of 60, always seems to return to the carnivalesque secular style that made him famous. The great reverberations of "Tutti Frutti," "Good Golly Miss Molly" and "Slippin' and Slidin' " that forever changed the idea of expressionism have him but good.

Those who invent genres both define them and are stuck with them. Little Richard, hair like an apartment building, sexually ambiguous, wildly extroverted and very funny, is coming to New York for three nights at Tramps (45 West 21st Street, Chelsea), starting this evening. Little Richard (Richard Penniman), for those who don't remember, helped invent rock-and-roll. He made a strain of American extremism, all Saturday-night hysteria, a regular part of international mass culture. As much as he has tried to renounce the spirit of abandon he had advocated with his first important recordings, exchanging it for the spirit of religion, Mr. Penniman, two years short of 60, always seems to return to the carnivalesque secular style that made him famous. The great reverberations of "Tutti Frutti," "Good Golly Miss Molly" and "Slippin' and Slidin' " that forever changed the idea of expressionism have him but good.

"Keep the spirit, but don't go to such extremes,'' Little Richard was told by his producers during a mid-50's recording session. That advice had the effect of goading the singer into the frenzied performance of ''Good Golly Miss Molly'' that was released as a single and became one of his biggest hits.

"Keep the spirit, but don't go to such extremes,'' Little Richard was told by his producers during a mid-50's recording session. That advice had the effect of goading the singer into the frenzied performance of ''Good Golly Miss Molly'' that was released as a single and became one of his biggest hits.

Those who invent genres both define them and are stuck with them. Little Richard, hair like an apartment building, sexually ambiguous, wildly extroverted and very funny, is coming to New York for three nights at Tramps (45 West 21st Street, Chelsea), starting this evening. Little Richard (Richard Penniman), for those who don't remember, helped invent rock-and-roll. He made a strain of American extremism, all Saturday-night hysteria, a regular part of international mass culture. As much as he has tried to renounce the spirit of abandon he had advocated with his first important recordings, exchanging it for the spirit of religion, Mr. Penniman, two years short of 60, always seems to return to the carnivalesque secular style that made him famous. The great reverberations of "Tutti Frutti," "Good Golly Miss Molly" and "Slippin' and Slidin' " that forever changed the idea of expressionism have him but good.

"Keep the spirit, but don't go to such extremes,'' Little Richard was told by his producers during a mid-50's recording session. That advice had the effect of goading the singer into the frenzied performance of ''Good Golly Miss Molly'' that was released as a single and became one of his biggest hits.

"Keep the spirit, but don't go to such extremes,'' Little Richard was told by his producers during a mid-50's recording session. That advice had the effect of goading the singer into the frenzied performance of ''Good Golly Miss Molly'' that was released as a single and became one of his biggest hits.

"Keep the spirit, but don't go to such extremes,'' Little Richard was told by his producers during a mid-50's recording session. That advice had the effect of goading the singer into the frenzied performance of ''Good Golly Miss Molly'' that was released as a single and became one of his biggest hits.

"Keep the spirit, but don't go to such extremes,'' Little Richard was told by his producers during a mid-50's recording session. That advice had the effect of goading the singer into the frenzied performance of ''Good Golly Miss Molly'' that was released as a single and became one of his biggest hits.

"Keep the spirit, but don't go to such extremes,'' Little Richard was told by his producers during a mid-50's recording session. That advice had the effect of goading the singer into the frenzied performance of ''Good Golly Miss Molly'' that was released as a single and became one of his biggest hits.

Those who invent genres both define them and are stuck with them. Little Richard, hair like an apartment building, sexually ambiguous, wildly extroverted and very funny, is coming to New York for three nights at Tramps (45 West 21st Street, Chelsea), starting this evening. Little Richard (Richard Penniman), for those who don't remember, helped invent rock-and-roll. He made a strain of American extremism, all Saturday-night hysteria, a regular part of international mass culture. As much as he has tried to renounce the spirit of abandon he had advocated with his first important recordings, exchanging it for the spirit of religion, Mr. Penniman, two years short of 60, always seems to return to the carnivalesque secular style that made him famous. The great reverberations of "Tutti Frutti," "Good Golly Miss Molly" and "Slippin' and Slidin' " that forever changed the idea of expressionism have him but good.

"Keep the spirit, but don't go to such extremes,'' Little Richard was told by his producers during a mid-50's recording session. That advice had the effect of goading the singer into the frenzied performance of ''Good Golly Miss Molly'' that was released as a single and became one of his biggest hits.

"Keep the spirit, but don't go to such extremes,'' Little Richard was told by his producers during a mid-50's recording session. That advice had the effect of goading the singer into the frenzied performance of ''Good Golly Miss Molly'' that was released as a single and became one of his biggest hits.

"Keep the spirit, but don't go to such extremes,'' Little Richard was told by his producers during a mid-50's recording session. That advice had the effect of goading the singer into the frenzied performance of ''Good Golly Miss Molly'' that was released as a single and became one of his biggest hits.

"Keep the spirit, but don't go to such extremes,'' Little Richard was told by his producers during a mid-50's recording session. That advice had the effect of goading the singer into the frenzied performance of ''Good Golly Miss Molly'' that was released as a single and became one of his biggest hits.

"Keep the spirit, but don't go to such extremes,'' Little Richard was told by his producers during a mid-50's recording session. That advice had the effect of goading the singer into the frenzied performance of ''Good Golly Miss Molly'' that was released as a single and became one of his biggest hits.

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February 7, 2010, Sunday

At B. B. King’s Blues Club on Monday, Little Richard, now 74, appeared in a striped yellow suit, singing a couple of songs with mule-kick power, but he also sported a helper and two canes to support him.

January 17, 2007, Wednesday

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''I am the beautiful Little Richard,'' said Richard Penniman, with the utmost assuredness, opening his eyes wide and grinning. ''I know you've seen me on television, but now I'm in person so you know I ain't lying.'' He spotted a professional...

June 28, 2000, Wednesday

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September 2, 1995, Saturday

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February 23, 1994, Wednesday

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